Improvement in folding-bedsteads



duidt Siate han can JOSHUA TURNER, OF OAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSA'OlI-USETTS,ASSIGNOR T0v BENJAMIN A; PETTINGILL AND ISAAC S. PEAB, OF SAME PLACE.

Lettere Patent No. 110,697, dated January 3, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING-BEDSTEADS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part ,of thesame.

To all to 'whom these presents may come;

Be it known that I, JOSHUA TURNER, 'oOambi-dgeport, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new'and usefulImprovement in-F0lding-Bedsteads; and dol hereby declare the same to befully described in the following speciiication and represented in theaccompanying drawing, of wliic'h- I Figure l is a-perspectire view of afolding-bed-` stead having my invention applied thereto, thc same beingrepresented as open or ready for use.

Figure 2 is a top view of the saine in a folded state.-

My invention has reference to that class of bedsteads whose legs are sopivoted or hinged to their frames as to he capable of being folded intoplanes c0- incident or parallel therewith, in order to render the samecompact, either for convenience when not inuse or for transportation.

The object of my invention is to remedy an evil iucident to foldingbedsteads as ordinarily made, v'iz the swinging and displacement of thebraces while the bedstcad is being either folded or unfolded, or duringtransportation also, to render such brace automatic, 0r selffolding andlocking, as hereinafter set forth.

My invention consists in apeculiar'rnode of-'for'ming and applying thebraces to the legs and frame, whereby the bracesare renderedself-adjusting, so as to both fold and unfold and lock automatically,while the legs are being correspondingly either folded or uufolded.

In the said drawingl A denotes the frame of the` bedstead as supportednponfour legs, 'BB B B, which are hingedor pivoted to theii'ame intheusual manner, so as to be capable of being either turned and foldedwithinthe frame, as shown in fig. 2,' or of being set at right anglesthereto, as shown in lig. 1.

Each of the legs B is connected with the frame by means of ametallicbrace, C, one end of which is pivoted or hinged to the leg, and the-other extends up through a tlat staple orguide-loop, D, which may bearranged on either the inner or outer side of the lon- Igitudinal barsofthe frame as may be desirable.

The upper or outer end of each braceis formed with an angular projectiono r lip, a, which,1by its action against the loop, serves toprevent thebrace from becoming disconnected froml the frame. each of the saidbraces is formed with a recess or Furthermore, 1

notch, b, to receive and catch upon the lower part of the'loop D, andthereby securely lock the` parts 'ftegether, and maintain the legsfirmly in position when the bedstead is in use. Or, if preferable, eachbrace .may have 'a slot made in it longitudinally from near itsupperend, and -be connected with the frame b y means of headed pin or stud,on which it may. freely slide, such slot having a transverse opening tocatchv sired parallelism. v Bythis operation the braces are.

forced through the loops or staples, and are so guided as 'to be causedto fold or adjust themselves in parallelism with the sides of the frame,and in close coritact therewith, in which positiontheyare confined bythe loops, and'thus prevented from swinging or getting out of place, asis the case with folding bedsteads, as ordinarily constructed. i

In case the bedstead is folded, and we desire to uufold the same,A orprepare it for use, all that is requisite is. to draw out the legs untilthey are brought-into the desired position, or at right angles to theframe, the braces in the meantime, guided by the loops, being drawndownward, their catches (through the action ot' gravity) are broughtinto engagement with or catch upon the lower parts of the loops, whenthe bedstead will be firmly secured in position.

I do not claim a folding bedstead, nor supporting the legs thereof bymeans of a brace attached to the legs and frame.

I claim- Y In a4 folding bedstead, composed of a frame, A, legs B, vandbraces O, the construction and application of the braces to the legs.and frame, v in manner asdescribed, whereby the former are renderedselt` adjusting, while the legs are being either folded or unfolded,

in manner as set forth.

' JOSHUA TURNER. Witnesses:

F. P. HALE, F. O. HA'LE.

